LeBron James kept turning it over early and soft-switching off Jimmy Butler late. He just had his worst game of the playoffs and now Miami has some life in these Finals. https://t.co/TJTbGHDQpo
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 5, 2020
James, after only two total turnovers the first two games of the series, had eight turnovers in Game 3. The Lakers had 19.
“It starts with myself, being the starting point guard of the team, having five first-half turnovers, eight total for the game,” he said. “Can’t do that. … I take full responsibility for that.”
Will any of this matter by the end of the week? Not if LeBron and the Lakers respond. They remain in the driver’s seat. In these playoffs, when slightly threatened, they’ve proven how quickly they can correct errors and refocus on the task. They might handle the Heat on Tuesday and wipe them out Friday, and none of us will be discussing James’ sloppy play and soft Game 3 switches. We’ll be debating whether his fourth ring makes him the greatest basketball player of all time.
But until the objective is complete and if it somehow isn’t, remember this night and remember this missed opportunity. Proper attentiveness, assertiveness, physicality and focus would’ve slammed the door shut on a limping Miami team, without two of its three best players.
But the door is now cracked. Butler has seen the Lakers bleed. The young Heat players have a bit more confidence. Erik Spoelstra has more data on what works and what doesn’t. Adebayo might return for Game 4. Miami isn’t out of it quite yet. LeBron and the Lakers didn’t put them out on Sunday night.
LeBron will not have two bad games in a row. Bank on that.